Eighteen Months Chap 1
by BlackBear53
Summary: Hetty sends Callen and Kensi on a mission to Afghanistan. Something goes horribly wrong and they go missing. Deeks is left to care for Callen's family.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: In 2014 I began writing a series of stories about Callen and a woman that he fell in love with and married, Sara. In 2015 I started this story and it has sat on a shelf collecting dust for several reasons. Mixed points of view were confusing me, as were locations and just how people would view how I showcased these characters. They are beloved to us and I didn't want to discredit any of them with how I will portray them. However now is the time to share this story.

Thank you to a good friend who had the faith in me and that this story would sometime see the light of day. I wish you were here to read it Motsie of Atlantis. I miss sharing stories with you.

 **Eighteen Months**

 **Chapter 1**

The sunsets at Polihale Beach on the island of Kauai are spectacularly beautiful. As the glowing orb sinks into the Pacific, it sends out glorious rays of red and gold like hands from God. The clouds are illuminated from behind in gold and the islands of Ni'ihau and Nihoa blaze in both differing tints of red and multiple shades of gold.

Polihale Beach is easy to find, just follow the simple directions posted by the gate: Take the old cane road for five miles and turn right at the Monkey Pod Tree. Don't worry the way is very clear to follow as there is only one way to go. Marty Deeks and I just wished that life could be that easy to follow.

All of this would be wondrous if you're in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. Unfortunately we weren't. Marty and I had been sent on an enforced vacation, albeit to paradise, by Hetty Lange with no explanation as to what was needed or expected of us. We were both told to go and have a good time.

This seems to be very nice but there were other things to consider besides us having a good time. Callen and Kensi had been sent on a mission eighteen months ago and we've not heard from them since. Neither Marty nor I were in the right mindset to enjoy this piece of paradise.

But let me take you back eighteen months and start the story there.

Eighteen Months Earlier:

Hetty looked out over the bullpen and noticed that Mr. Callen and Mrs. Deeks were sitting at their desks reading cold case reports. The paper work that seems eternal was piled high in their work baskets. The team, currently, had no open cases and when they weren't reading and discussing the cold cases, they were filing the back log of paper that is always due. "Mr. Callen, Mrs. Deeks, a moment of your time… please?" She gave a hand wave motioning for them to come to join her. She wasn't wearing the courteous smile that she usually gave them and there wouldn't be one either. Hetty deemed the mission she was being ordered to send them on…unsavory, and after her stand down in Washington, she didn't have a clear way to deny the mission. She had no recourse but to send them.

Both agents noticed the coldness of the request and gave each other a questioning glance as they walked together to her office.

She greeted them with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Mr. Callen and Mrs. Deeks go home and spend time today with your families. Tomorrow you will report here for a flight to Coronado and then a flight to Afghanistan. You'll report to Leland Walker in Kabul. He will give you all the pertinent information on your mission. I only know that you will be tracking a Taliban group that targets our servicemen. Mr. Walker will have the rest for you. I'll see you at 0500 hours tomorrow morning." With that brief offering she dismissed them.

Callen looked towards Kensi and hated the thought of her being away from Deeks. They'd only been married a few months. Sara wouldn't like this much either. The twins, Jarrett and Kendyl were only five months old. Their older daughter, Gretchen, was almost five. He didn't want to let this go this quickly and without some serious questions. "How long do you think this will last?"

Hetty hated the answer she gave because she wasn't even remotely sure of the truth of it. "It may only last a few days to a month or two or could be undetermined as to length; hopefully, only a few days."

Kensi showed uncertainty about this deployment. She looked to Callen, who showed his displeasure with the chewing of his inner cheek that the team knew well. Knowing that Callen felt just like she did drove her to return her attention back to her boss and mentor. "Hetty the last time I was in Afghanistan I was captured and tortured. Should I really be the one to go? Isn't there someone else to send?"

Hetty understood her agent's reluctance and shook her head as she spoke. "No Mrs. Deeks. We need both of you to go because of your unique skill sets. Mr. Callen is the perfect legend and ghost, and while he knows some Pashtu and Dari, he learns languages quickly. Your forensic qualifications and the sniper capabilities make you the perfect choice to accompany him. You both have posed as a couple with great ease before. I am truly sorry Mrs. Deeks." She really was. She didn't want to send her operatives on a job that had so little of a chance for success. She showed her business face to the two agents but inside her stomach roiled in turmoil and her heart, heavy. Both of these agents had gone through a life of hell before they found their mates in life and had only been with them a short time. It wasn't fair for Vance to ask of this now and he'd given her no choice in this. "Mrs. Deeks go and scoop up Mr. Deeks and go home. Prepare for the mission but first and foremost enjoy your husband's company." Hetty smiled, rose from her chair and came to Kensi. She placed Kensi's hand in hers and squeezed it. Kensi squeezed back, looked her boss in the eyes and then got up, went to get Deeks and the two of them left the building.

Callen sat there and watched the diminutive woman; a woman he'd learned to trust and care for almost as a mother. He sensed her reluctance for this mission. There was something about it that she didn't like and he wanted to know what that was. He met her eye and tried to stare her down, trying to get her to crack and when that didn't happen, and he admitted to himself that it didn't often, he looked past her to her antique tea pot collection. His face showed his impatience for these orders as did his finger tapping. His eyes, however, were inquisitive. "Something you'd like to share, Hetty?" When she didn't answer he pushed further. "Something's bothering you and if it pertains to Kensi and I, this would be a good time to know." His voice carried emphasis but it wasn't working on the little ninja and he knew it. If she didn't want him to know something he never would.

Hetty looked around and motioned for Callen to take a seat. She wanted to make sure that Owen Granger was not lurking in the shadows. He might object to her talking with Callen. She shook her head as if to say 'screw it.' "Mr. Callen, Director Vance is unsure how NCIS is being run in Afghanistan. There has been, shall we say, some inconsistencies in the day-to-day operations. We also think there is a mole in the operation leaking intel to the Taliban. We need it stopped. That is the task for you and Mrs. Deeks. Everyone is suspect, everyone. You must be very careful Mr. Callen. Bring Mrs. Deeks and yourself home in one piece. She hesitated another moment and then nodded towards the door. Go home to Sara and your children. Enjoy this day with them."

Callen nodded his head, went to pack up his bag, give Sam a heads up and then he left knowing full well what would await him at home.


	2. Chapter 2

_Callen's POV_

I parked my car in the drive way, went through the front door and heard my family in the back yard. I stood in the open doorway to the back yard looking out at my beautiful family. I watched my wife, Sara, play restaurant with Gretchen while the twins slept in the playpen under the tree.

My family: that phrase meant the world to me. It still gave me goose bumps when I think about it. I'd never had a family growing up or been a real part of any family and to have a family excites me to no end. My children are my greatest joy and coming home to them every night is amazing. I have a great affinity for children that I never thought I had.

I found my wife by mistake and it happened to be the best mistake I'd ever made. Sara is the perfect match for me and I almost lost her and my children due to my own pigheadedness. I just couldn't stand the idea of being away for an unknown amount of time and I knew it could be just that.

I watched my wife's reactions to her surroundings and could tell by her movements that she knew I was here in the kitchen. She's got a sixth sense as to when I'm around. I chuckled to myself, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and joined them outside on this beautiful day; at least it was weather wise.

Sara told me later that she'd felt eyes on her and knew I stood somewhere behind her. She turned and met my gaze. The look I gave her was full of passion, for her and for our children; foreboding must have been in my eyes as well. While she knew there was something wrong, she didn't push for my answer. She knew it was best to let me tell her in my own way and in my own time.

Gretchen spied me and ran headlong into my waiting arms. I picked her up and swung her around and then tucked her in close to my chest. There was so much love in that hug. Sara came to me and I drew her into that hug as well. She later told me that she felt the love emanating from me along with all the worry of the mission.

Sara challenged me, instead, with fun. I assume she was trying to break the sense of gloom I was exuding. "Well Mr. Callen, what are you doing home in the middle of the day, playing hooky?" I gazed into those hazel orbs and knew that I was going to cause pain for her and while I didn't want to hurt her, I also didn't know how to protect her from it.

Something else, I didn't know where to start. I looked around the yard we'd worked so hard on, at the house I never dreamed I'd would own and at the family I never thought I'd have. I searched for a way to explain this with as little pain as I could. It wasn't to be. I ached with my own pain. How could I expect them not to feel it?

I had always said that Gretchen was a miniature Sara with blond hair and hazel eyes. Jarrett and Kendyl have the blond hair for now but also my blue eyes. I knew I was going to miss so much of their growing up and I knew I didn't want to go on this mission. I had too much to lose.

I walked away from Sara and Gretchen and reached into the playpen to caress my babies. "Hetty sent me home to spend the day with you and them. I leave at 0500 hours tomorrow for Afghanistan for an undetermined time period. Kensi is going with me." It just seemed best to spit it all out at once.

I heard Sara gasp and knew that she almost stopped breathing. She knew traveling is always a possibility but this trip, sudden and then to Afghanistan, a hell hole. Kensi and the rest of us almost didn't survive our last trip there. "Marty won't be happy with this."

She looked into my face and asked about others. "How did Kensi feel about it?" This is typical behavior from her and exactly what I expected but I saw the devastation that this news had for her. She replaced the pain quickly with a brave face. That's the woman I married. She can be fearless and fearsome if she has to be.

I looked out at the hidden back gate. Sara and I had used it five and a half years ago to escape from the Comescus. I so wanted to scoop up my entire family and escape again. Maybe staying in Rhode Island would have been the better thing to do after all. "Kensi tried to get Hetty to send someone else, but to no avail. It seems her skill sets are needed. Kensi grabbed Deeks and went home. I bet they are walking Monty, surfing and eating fish tacos."

Sara tried to make light of the situation but it didn't work. I watched her eyes and her reaction was leaden and cold. "Is that what you want us to do?" I could sense her heart breaking a little for the Deeks and us.

I glanced in my wife's direction and that glance told her in that briefest of moments exactly what I wanted. She knew I wouldn't leave the house, our home. I wanted to play games with Gretchen, hold my babies and make love to my wife and when I looked to her she was okay with all of it so I smiled back at her.

Sara became playful but it was all for show, terribly forced and we both knew why. "Mr. Callen, since you are here, could I interest you in lunch with a beautiful young lady?" She motioned to our daughter.

"Come on Daddy, eat lunch with me." Gretchen grinned from ear to ear and began leading me over to the picnic table to sit with her to wait for lunch.

I smirked and leaned over to my wife and placed a kiss on her cheek after getting to the table. "She's got your ability to cajole me into whatever she wants." I leaned over and kissed my beautiful daughter on the top of her head. "Ok Buttercup let's eat. What do you want?"

Gretchen has my smirk and she used it on me so I knew I was in for it. "I want peanut butter and banana sandwiches." She grinned from ear to ear. I could see Gretchen felt a little impish today.

I'm sure the grin slipped from my face, but not for long. I put it right back. I hate peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I'd been forced to eat them as a child in many of the foster homes or eat nothing at all. I gulped and realized that I'd have to eat them no matter what. Maybe I could talk her out of them. "You want peanut butter and banana sandwiches? How about ham and cheese instead?" I gulped and turned back to look at Sara, pleading with my eyes for her to say no to the peanut butter and bananas.

She chuckled, knowing what I asked and she enjoyed playing with me but we were still eating those damn sandwiches. "Is there anything else for the young lady?"

Gretchen smiled again and answered her mother. "Can we have chocolate milk?"

This was one part of the lunch I had no problem with. That and the company I'd keep.

I stayed in the yard with my brood until Sara called us back to the table for lunch. I enjoyed every minute of it: even the dreaded peanut butter and banana sandwiches and chocolate milk.

The ominous aura of my upcoming mission hung over my interactions with Sara like a heavy cloud for the rest of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

_Deek's POV_

The ride home for Kensi and I felt like we were driving to an unexpected funeral, generally gloomy and sad. I really hated my wife's new deployment this time but I didn't know how to get her out of it. I almost didn't get her back from that dismal place the last time she'd been sent there and this time I wouldn't even be there to watch her back. The whole thing made me uncomfortable and I wasn't sure I could take losing her if it came to that. It didn't make me feel any better that Kensi didn't want to go either: that much was incredibly evident. It terrified her because of what had happened to her the last time she'd been in country. What did Hetty think sending her back there?

"I'm riding in with you tomorrow." I made sure there would be no doubt that there would be an argument over it. I meant to talk to Callen about keeping my wife safe and she knew it. I think that she expected it and I hoped Callen expected it as well.

Kensi acknowledged my comment with a nod of her head. "We should be back soon. Hetty said it might be a couple of days or a week." She spoke optimistically and I knew that internally she hoped that was what Hetty meant, but deeper down inside she understood that our boss was being as sincere as she could be. She sensed Hetty's intense dislike of this operation and that'd been why she spoke up about choosing someone else to go.

When the two of us arrived home I took Monty for a walk and came back rather quickly. I didn't want to miss any of this day with my wife. Kensi had lunch prepared and we tried to eat it but nothing really tasted good. We ended up throwing it away and sat wrapped up in each other.

Neither of us said anything since the drive home, verbally, but our body language spoke volumes. Kensi and I've never had the best oral communication skills, ours were more physical and we could read each other like a book with just a glance.

Kensi didn't need to have it said: she knew my anger wasn't aimed at her but at the lousy situation. She saw it as a seething, smoldering anger emanating from me. What I saw was a resigned Kensi: The good soldier who rarely argued or disobeyed any order and that aspect of her life drove me crazy. Why didn't she argue more about this one? She could have. What else could be going on here that she couldn't see? There had to be more.

I met Kensi's mismatched eyes with my own blues and asked the sixty-four thousand dollar question. "Come on Kens, what do you think this mission is all about? Really? Are you two really going to chase down a Taliban group that targets U.S. Servicemen? The Taliban do that all the time. It's nothing new. NCIS in Kabul should take care of that. What is the real mission and why were you two expressly chosen for this? There has to be a reason it's you and Callen."

I asked all the questions that I thought Kensi had pondered during our ride home. She thought of those questions the minute Hetty gave the orders. She just never had the chance to ask any of the questions to ease her own mind. Hetty sent her home as soon as she'd thought them and that was curious in itself. She also felt that Hetty felt coerced to give those commands, but by who and why? Kensi also felt that she disliked both the orders and having to give them to her agents, no, her family members, that she thought would have problems carrying them out or even coming home. Callen had hung back and maybe he got Hetty to spill but if she didn't want to say anything, she wouldn't, and they both knew that. Maybe she couldn't. Maybe she didn't know any of the answers Callen and Kensi looked for. Maybe we'll never know the answers.

Kensi didn't smile or even move from where we sat. "Marty, I don't know yet. Maybe Callen got more from Hetty after I left. I got the impression from his stance that he didn't like the mission. He would be looking for an escape from it. He felt that Hetty didn't like the mission or have the information to carry it out efficiently. She'd have no alternative to give the orders, after all she's been placed on a short leash lately by Vance and has to do as she'd been ordered. Presumably, if I read her right, there can be no changes to the mission once it's in play. If there is more she probably shared it with Callen as long as Granger wasn't around. I'll even bet there are parts of this operation that were kept from her as well. Vance has been known to do that to our group."

As Kensi spoke, she rose from the couch and walked to the doors to the deck which overlooked the beach across the road. Proximity to the beach is the main reason we bought the house. She looked out at the waves on the ocean and sighed. I moved to stand behind her and held her from behind and gazed out at the ocean with her. Kensi snuggled back into my arms and I felt her body heave against me, heavy with sadness and despair. I felt her give in to one silent sob and knew there'd be no others. She turned around to face me with one tear on her cheek. "Marty let's go out there and surf. You once told me that it is always a good day when you're on the water. Prove it to me."

I looked down at her face and chuckled to myself. Surfing is far from my wife's favorite thing to do. I usually have to drag her to the surf boards but here she was asking to go. I couldn't say no so I wiped the tear from her face and smiled. "When we get back from the beach we can watch America's Top Model or Titanic, you can choose."

Kensi smiled back at me but it was a forlorn kind of smile. "Let's do it." She broke free of my arms to get her wet suit and get dressed for our time in the surf. I went along after her.

We spent the rest of the day in the surf riding wave after wave, on the couch watching her favorite shows and movies and in bed enjoying each other for as long as we stayed awake. Who knew when we'd do any of that again?


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know I'm taking so long getting into the story but I want all of you to feel what I felt as I wrote this oh so long ago. I want you to feel the darkness and the despair that these couples would feel. Both the agents and their other halves took a long time to find that 'someone' and I want their dread of the situation to be felt. I want you to feel the pain from Hetty and Sam at what could be a mission gone bad. I need you to feel the reason this story took so long to write and while it still gives me frets.

Thank you,

BlackBear53

Chapter 4

At 0400 hours there came a faint knock at the front door to our home. I didn't surprise me though, I'd expected it. I opened the door a crack and there stood Sam, just as I knew he would be. I let him in and he embraced me in one of his huge man hugs. He has a way of making them incredibly emotional and not only to those receiving but those who catch sight of them as well. Receiving one is can be quite an awe inspiring experience, if not bone crushing, as I can tell you. This one was no exception. I felt my eyes begin to well up with all the emotions I'd been feeling.

Sara slipped down the hall to see who had come to the door. She gave Sam a quiet hello and in turn received one of those hugs from Sam.

"Sara, go with G this morning. You know, to bring home the car." There he was giving her a larger than life wink and a grin on his face that said to her: go with him.

I already knew she'd go but being married to me for the last few years, she's learned to play Sam's game. "Who will watch the kids?" She asked the question as part of the game. Sara looked into my eyes as she asked that but she already knew the answer. She just needed Sam to say it. It, too, was part of the game. It would make both of us feel safer to know that Sam was watching over our family.

He gave her a larger than life grin and another wink. "That's why Michelle sent me." He pulled back and gave Sara his 'he's so hurt' look. "What I'm not good enough now?" He put his hands to his chest and gave the pretense of pouting. Sam pouting is not a pretty picture at anytime. I chuckled as he did it and Sam laughed and Sara turned around, laughing quietly to herself and went to finish getting dressed. I watched her as she moved down the hall and felt my heart yearn for her and I hadn't left yet.

"Thanks man, for doing this." I shook Sam's hand and went for coffee that Sara set up and started earlier. I offered Sam a cup. He nodded and took the mug into his big hands.

"No problem. I want to do this. I want you to be prepared when you go in. You can bet Deeks will be there this morning and you'll get a lecture on keeping Kensi safe. I can hear him telling you to keep her safe. Don't let the Taliban catch her again…blah, blah, blah." Sam laughed while saying it but he seriously meant every word as gospel and I knew it would happen just that way from Deek's point of view. I could see Deek's face in my mind's eye. I also knew that I planned to ask Deeks to do the same thing just maybe without all the blah, blah, blah. I chuckled at the thought of asking Deeks to look after my family. I'd never have trusted him or even asked him in the past but I've since learned a new respect for the beach boy cop who we hoped would someday turn to a full-fledged agent.

Then a light glinting off a pane of glass made me look out the kitchen door. In the light from the porch I could see the bench that Sara and I had met on so long ago. Hetty had purchased it and gave it to us for a wedding present. Her giving it to both of us meant the world to me. It brought a lump to my throat but with that lump came a searing ache to the pit of my stomach. All my worries hit, forcefully, at once. How would Sara deal with this if it went on too long? Would my children know me when I come home? What if I didn't come home? Who would take care of them then? Oh I knew that Hetty would watch over them and help where needed. The house had come to me fully paid for. All I needed to do was pay the taxes every year and I did buy the realtor that bottle of Grange that Hetty promised him as payment and a thank you. Until that point in my life I'd lived rather frugally as Hetty once said. I felt the life go out of me as if I already wouldn't return.

Sam grimaced noting the sudden change in my mood. "What's going on G?"

I shook my head and tried to get back to where I was before the seeing the bench, emotionally. The feeling of dread just wouldn't pass. "This mission doesn't feel right and I'm positive Kensi felt it too. Oh, hell, even Hetty doesn't like it. It was evident by the way she handled telling Kensi and me. I'm sure we're being fed half the information, if even that. I'm sure there are things that Vance didn't inform Hetty of either. He wants us to go in uninfluenced by what she could tell us. I got that, but we'll be walking in there blind and I've got a really bad feeling about this mission, really bad." I looked away from Sam and back out to the bench as if it could mean a new beginning for me or an ending that I wouldn't like.

Sam told me that my face began to look haggard and he could see the worry in my eyes that he rarely sees. He reached out to touch my shoulder and squeezed it. "G, be careful over there. Know that if you two need Deeks and me, we will be there. Don't be afraid to call.

I knew I had support from him and that he would watch out for my family as well. I didn't even have to ask it of him and for that I am grateful.

Sara came back into the room at that moment, dressed and ready to go. She noticed the quiet conversation between Sam and me. I'm pretty sure it did nothing to make her feel better about the mission. She began wondering what I hadn't told her and she wondered what else Kensi and I should know about it. I wondered about that too.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I just want to give a shout out to the airmen at Westover Air Reserve Base, who fly the C5a's, for all the valuable information on these wonderful planes, the wonderful dancing hippos of the air. Without their help I'd have our hero's plane nose-diving into the Pacific.

Chapter 5

Hetty waited for the two families to arrive. Her worry grew as each moment moved past. Overnight she'd tried to find out more information to help with the operation so that she could aid her agents. She'd run into stonewall after stonewall while searching and she felt exhausted, exasperated and angry. When the Deeks came in, she left them alone, as any conversation with them would be futile and invasive. Callen and Sara walked into the mission holding hands and even so Hetty felt their angst deep in her soul. "Morning." So even Hetty didn't feel it was good, just morning. Deeks still felt angry and upset, but he accepted the decision of his wife, the dutiful soldier. However, Callen had a less than accepting attitude. Hetty could tell by the set of his jaw and the position of his mouth that he was angry. She also knew that he wanted to refuse this mission until more information had been supplied. If he refused it then she would be off the hook for the operation. He also knew, however, if NCIS had been compromised he had no choice but to go and that is where the problem lies.

Hetty could see that Sara spent her time controlling her emotions. Her eyes were damp with tears that could let go at any moment. Only she and Hetty knew that they would be saved for later after G flew out. He wouldn't see her cry.

The group went out to the helipad behind the building. The pilot had shut down and was drinking coffee. When he saw them approach he went to the helicopter to start his pre-check.

Deeks held Kensi's hand in his left hand and her sniper rifle in his right. Kensi carried her go bag over her shoulder. Both wore grim faces.

Callen's hand was around Sara's waist and the other carried the case that held the belongings he needed to take with him.

Hetty followed behind.

Callen stopped just short of the landing zone and dropped his bag. He turned to face Hetty and to see if she had changed her mind. When she acknowledged that she hadn't he turned his back on her and turned to Deeks. "Marty, please take care of Sara and the kids while I'm gone." He then extended his hand to the scruffy detective.

Deeks came forward and took Callen's hand. "Likewise man. Don't let anything happen to Kensi."

Both men looked each other in the eye and no more words were needed between them. They both understood the ramifications of this mission.

Having taken care of that, G turned to Sara and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her first on the hair, then her brow and lastly her lips. He wanted to stay in this moment forever. Quietly he spoke to her. "Give the children kisses and love for me."

Sara almost lost her composure but held it in check. "All the time O' Heart of Mine."

Kensi and Deeks were having a very similar moment. Deeks held her and stroked her beautiful long hair. He had to admit it, he was scared. He'd almost lost her once to the Taliban and he'd rather not live that torture again. Kensi wanted nothing more than to run from the helipad. She knew what those savages were capable of.

The helicopters rotors began. Callen and Sara held on to each other for a few moments more. Kensi and Deeks did the same.

The pilot came to the door and announced that the gear had been stowed and it was time to go.

Callen looked again to Hetty. She solemnly shook her head "no." Callen looked down at his wife and smiled. Kensi climbed aboard the helicopter and then Callen; neither taking their eyes from their spouse. Deeks moved over to stand with Sara, placing his hands on her shoulders, not so much for her, but for him. Both of them were the epitomy of pain.

The chopper lifted off the helipad and flew over the building before heading south for Coronado. Two hands waved as it lifted and headed away. There were no smiles but many unshed tears. Tears that would not be shed while Kensi and Callen could still see them.

Hetty made her way back inside away from the scene on the helipad. She needed a cup of tea or maybe something stronger; definitely something stronger. She also had more calls to make and some would not be well received and she didn't care.

Once the helicopter was out of sight Sara lost control. Marty held her while she cried. He had wanted to cry in private but her sobbing made that impossible. Sara looked up at Marty and there was one perfect tear running down his cheek.

Marty took her hand and led her to his car. "Come on, I'll take you home.

On board the chopper both Callen and Kensi looked out at the loved ones they had left behind. Kensi let go of her tears. The tears she swore Marty would never see. Callen looked devastated. This departure, probably the most difficult thing he'd ever done in his less than perfect life.

The flight from the mission to Coronado took over an hour. They were swept onto a C5aM on its way to Afghanistan. On the flight over Callen explained what he had heard from Hetty. The ramifications were immense. Sharing information with the Taliban was not only dangerous for our servicemen and women but to all American's in the Middle East. Callen wondered about this Leland Walker. He'd never worked with him and he'd been unavailable when Kensi was there. This was to be a whole new experience.

While on board they went through the bags and boxes that Hetty had supplied. They contained Afghani clothing and equipment they would need. Hetty had also given Callen a folder with information about Leland Walker and his agents.

Leland Walker was a legend, a big man, 6 foot 3 if not more, dark hair, brown eyes and built like Sam. According to the file he's an ex-Navy Commander who graduated from Annapolis. His family is from Mississippi and he had lived on bases all over the world. There's gossip of a possible promotion to D.C. in the works.

He had six agents working for him in Afghanistan. His second in command was Celeste Weir. She also had impressive stats. She had been working in country for two years. Tomas Nieves was the newbie to Walker's staff. He'd been in country for only six months.

Walker's staff also consisted of two agents in Kandahar and two in Khost. He communicated with them with a timed check in: Usually every three days. That was a lot of time apart and a lot of free time to commit treason.

After reviewing the file with Kensi, Callen, knowing what might wait for them in Afghanistan, fell into a deep, but disturbed sleep. Probably the most disturbed sleep he'd ever had.


	6. Chapter 6

10 hours later

Arrival at Kabul Naval Air Station went without a hitch. The C5aM landed with a reversal of their engines, a taxi along the short runway and a stop in front of the hanger. A storm had just passed and it hadn't left a cloud in the crystal clear blue sky. It was warm and a bit breezy with sand in the air but nothing Callen and Kensi couldn't withstand. Los Angeles could be a whole lot warmer and Los Angeles' desert like climate helped both the agents to quickly acclimate to Afghanistan. A driver with a Humvee waited for Callen and Kensi and both were each issued a helmet and a flak jacket. Their equipment would be delivered to their housing using an Afghani driver to mask their true identity. Their driver then drove them to NCIS headquarters. They drove through a maze of streets and alleyways, and even Callen, who usually had a good sense of direction and memory for streets, couldn't find his way after the ride. He knew Kabul could be dangerous so the driver could have been driving defensively. After thirty minutes of zigs and zags they arrived at their destination.

Leland Walker, the lead NCIS agent, met them just inside the door to the NCIS office. His second, Celeste Weir stood to his right and the third agent on staff, Tomas Nieves, leaned on the wall to Walker's left. Weir seemed on the same wavelength with Walker, seeming like she could sense his mood and that she understood his behaviors. She set off Kensi's Spidey Sense immediately and Callen knew what his partner felt just by the way Kensi watched her every move. Nieves was quiet and observant and Callen felt an urgent need to watch him but couldn't figure out why or if it was even needed. He just got under Callen's skin. Callen intended to keep his eyes open and on Nieves.

Walker stepped forward and extended his hand to Callen. "Welcome to Kabul Agents Callen and Blye." Walker's voice was as big as he was: it boomed and held an authority that was meant to be noticed and obeyed. Callen was sure his handshake also held authority and hesitated to take the hand that had been offered.

Callen wasn't exactly feeling the welcome from any of them but he stepped up and shook Walkers authoritative handshake. "Thank you Sir. We'll try to be minimally intrusive with our work while we're here."

Callen and Kensi were then invited into Walker's office. Medals and commendations from his time in the Navy were prominently displayed. Walker wore the digicam uniform of the desert. That, in itself, showed a lack of care for the office. He should be wearing the clothing of the area. Both of the others wore Afghani clothing. Weir's burqua hung on the coat rack in the front office. Walker: clean shaven, Nieves had the beard of an Afghan. Callen wondered why the difference? It is the job of an agent to be part of the culture. He himself, in three days, would have enough of a beard to pass for an Afghani and Kensi already had the middle- eastern look.

Walker offered them coffee which they both declined. Weir motioned for them to take seats. The head agent looked around the room absently and began to hesitantly speak as if he had no idea where to start. "This, um, is a sticky situation here. The Taliban have been picking off soldiers, marines and sailors with impunity for the last six months. We can't figure out why they chose their targets or what the reasoning for the targets."

Callen looked at Walker in disbelief and looked to his partner he then made eye contact with Walker. "Wait, you don't know why these men were targeted?" G shook his head in disbelief. They needed more information. "Has Army CID been looking into this as well?"Callen was sure his ire showed with that last remark.

Walker looked like he'd been asked if his hair was on fire. Then he shrugged with no answer to Callen's question.

Kensi, also taken aback by the seemingly clueless remarks, looked from Walker to Weir to Nieves and not one of them gave any impression of answers. "I'm going to need a list of the marines and navy personnel and their assignments. I will also need their computers and anything that could help in our investigations." Kensi gave Callen a look that said "What the hell is going on here?"

Walker was a nonchalant as could be about the situation. He made some motion as if to dismiss them and then added, "Agent Nieves will take you to your quarters. Get settled and by tomorrow morning we should have that information for you."

Callen, by this time, raged internally. They had travelled over ten thousand miles for what? For this lack of information and Walker's non-caring attitude for the men and women that served here? What the hell was going on here? "Sir, that information should have been compiled long ago. We will give you until tomorrow at 0700 hours. If we don't have it by then you and your people will be charged with impeding this investigation. Is that clear?" Callen then turned to leave, changed his mind and turned back. "Who is the CID officer and where can we find their office?"

Nieves stopped leaning on the door and finally gave his reaction to the situation. He glanced at Weir and Walker, mentally dismissed them, and then looked back to Callen. "I'll show you on the way to your quarters." He turned opened the door and gestured for them to follow him.

Callen, surprised by Nieves reaction, looked to Kensi and began to rethink his perception of the man. "Thank you Special Agent Nieves." He then looked back at Walker. "Tomorrow at 7:00 we will be back. Have that information ready."

The ride to their housing didn't take long. It would only take ten minutes to walk to Walkers office but having a fellow 'Afghani' take them there gave credence to their cover as an Afghani couple. Callen had wanted to stop at the CID office but Nieves thought it a bad idea. G could go there on his own, if it were necessary. Nieves didn't want to give up his own cover so easily and Callen understood that reasoning. He and Kensi would go tomorrow after meeting with Walker and his group again. He hoped more information would be forthcoming because he would do exactly as he said and he knew Director Vance and Hetty would back him fully.

Callen and Kensi entered their living space, looked around and felt a bit lost. While it would never make House Beautiful, but it would keep the weather out and the warmth in. Since they were to be an Afghani married couple there was only one bed. They looked to each other and shrugged. They'd played involved couples before so they could adjust and it would only be for a short time.

Their goods from the plane had been piled in the middle of the room and left for them to do with as they pleased. They began to unpack and take inventory of what they had. Callen set up the satellite phones and called home before eating the food that'd been left for them and then hitting the hay. They had a very early day tomorrow and maybe even some unpleasantness to deal with. They needed their rest as they day before had also been very long and painful. Both fell asleep thinking of home and family.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6b

A/N: Thank you CountrygirlUK for finding the error and letting me know. So sorry for this mistake.

After the first meeting with Walker the mission started to take shape. The list of the servicemen and their MO's were delivered and Kensi and I studied them. There didn't seem to be a clear cut reason for their deaths. The Army CID had the same problem. There wasn't a reason for these men to be targeted. Major David Allen reported that they had leads into several groups but were getting nowhere. He was relieved that someone else finally took this serious.

His answer perplexed me and afraid that I let it show. "Did no one from NCIS look into this?" My tone sharpened at this news.

The response from the Major was a laugh. "It was cursory at best. They really did nothing."

Kensi had received all the computers that the men had used. She garnered some information and sent it back to Eric. It didn't amount to much. There were no connections between any of the servicemen. They were from different branches of the service.

Walker's group had been no help. It upset me so much that I wanted to arrest them all. Nieves kept my intuition jangling and Weir gave off more negative vibes. Kensi started following her on a daily basis. In two months all she had found was that Weir lived with Walker. Probably not the best idea in a war zone but for some reason they seemed insulated from the war. Kensi had some guesses as to why but nothing concrete.

I shadowed Nieves.

One day Tomas abruptly confronted me about it. "I am not the one you should be looking at but continue to watch Leland and Celeste. I have never fit in or let to be part of this crew. I am the lackey here."

I understood that. When I worked with the DEA I'd been the gopher, the lackey even though I knew how to go undercover better than most of my co-workers. "Why not let you in? What are they doing?"

Nieves looked around making sure Walker was not in ear shot. "I don't know about that. What I do know is the Celeste Weir has tea with Taliban wives every four or five days. It may be something or it may be nothing."

I would have Kensi watch her closer now. "Thanks for the information."

Nieves nodded and walked away.

I then went to Army CID. "Major Allen, did any of your people ever follow Celeste Weir to a Taliban leader's house? She supposedly is having tea with the wife of one of them.

Major Allen had a look of surprise. "Don't you people at NCIS police your own agents? No, we don't usually tail fellow agents. We have enough of our own work to do."

Again I was taken aback by the Major's response but could understand the sentiment. He wouldn't tail a CID agent if he didn't have to. "Thank you for your time Major."

I met Kensi and returned to our quarters. After Kensi removed her burka and we'd eaten, her frustration level blew. "I must not be doing something right. Every four or five days Weir goes to a house and stays for about an hour. She then leaves and goes back to her quarters. What am I missing here?"

My brow must have furrowed. Why would the Taliban work with unclean infidels? Nothing here was jiving. Weir could have just made a friend. It didn't feel right though. Nieves tried to tell us about it. They were missing something. I felt as frustrated as Kensi. "What are we missing? I thought this would be done and we'd be home by now."

Over the next four weeks Nieves became more helpful. He supplied names of prominent Taliban leaders and how they all worked together. Some were more militant than the others and some just wanted the Americans and their allies to go home. The one name that he supplied was powerful, Hassiq Runani. He controlled a network that reached from Khost to Kandahar and even further. He was influential throughout Afghanistan. If it was him receiving information on servicemen and having them killed it was a potential situation for all Americans in the Middle East.

I needed to talk with Nieves again. Kensi and I went to Tomas' quarters and knocked at his door. No one answered. Maybe he had gone out. They knocked again and still no answer. I picked the lock and let us in. Nieves was home, just not talking. I looked up at Kensi and shook my head. Kensi looked away but she recognized the Taliban's work. His throat was slit and a mark left on his forehead as a warning to back off. We left and to report back to camp and to Leland Walker.

We headed back through the narrow alleys to our quarters after reporting what we found to Walker. As we walked down our home alley we were confronted by two Afghani men who had come out of our rooms. As they got closer they pulled knives and attacked. Kensi fighting in a burka had a difficult time of it. She managed to take her man down and turned to help me. I'd been successful as well but took a slash to my upper thigh. Kensi took part of her burka to bandage me and we made our way slowly to our quarters. We used caution as they entered, not knowing who could be waiting for us. No one awaited up but everything had been searched thoroughly. Our satellite phones had been destroyed as were most of the supplies that we'd brought with us. It was time to move out of Kabul.

After the attack I purchased an old American made car. We had no other choice because I knew that I couldn't walk far with the gash on my leg. I wished Sam could see me. I actually worked on it to make it run and it did, after a fashion. It sputtered a bit but most of the vehicles in country did. Parts were hard to find.

Kensi watched me for signs of illness from the knife wound but she found nothing. It healed slowly and finally she stopped worrying. There were other things to worry about.

It was fortunate that I'd had the foresight to hide our money at a different location. We still had plenty to live on. It seems we'd gotten close to something that someone hadn't wanted found. It had cost Nieves his life and almost ours. Now if we'd only knew what it was.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I want to thank knirbenrots, Countrygirluk56, UsedToBeMe and F4llon for their support and kind reviews of this story. Love you all!

I'd like to thank Wereleopard for her invaluable help understanding where the enemy is in Afghanistan. It is helping with logistics and putting my head in the game. Thanks Lea!

Both Sara and Deeks know that their loved ones have gone missing and write to them for their own sanity.

While this chapter is short, it gives you feelings of what their families are doing and how they're coping.

2 Months Later

Dearest Husband,

I spend every day giving all of my love to our children and while I feel like it may not be all they need it has to be enough for the three of them, doesn't it?

It's an exciting time in the Callen household. Gretchen's going to start kindergarten in three weeks and it's time to get new clothes and shoes for the occasion. She and Grandma Hetty are going shopping today and that in itself is enough to make her happy. She keeps telling us that she loves shopping with Grandma Hetty and I think we know why.

Gretchen's going to go to school for the first time and G, you're going to miss it. I'll take a gazillion pictures to save for you but I know that won't be the same for you as being here.

The twins were now almost eight months old and beginning to creep and crawl around and now they are pulling themselves up on furniture. I spend my days chasing them around trying to keep them from getting hurt. G, I know that you wanted to be there for their first steps but they aren't going to wait for you, sorry. Nell stops by every other night to help me out and keep me sane. I guess this is what family does. I really appreciate all their help. I know you do as well.

Marty stops by every few days to check on us and weekends we usually spent with "Uncle Marty." He comes by and takes Gretchen to lunch and the park or to the Children's Museum. Other times the whole batch of us goes to the beach. He is amazing with the children and I hope that Kensi realizes what she's in for when she gets home. He talks about it all the time.

Marty took us to breakfast at our favorite pancake house this morning. Marty and I fed the babies while Gretchen ate her banana pancakes; they're her favorite. But you already know that.

Uncle Marty felt that this morning held great importance; Gretchen going for her first back to school shopping spree. Eric and Nell would tag-team the babies while he, Hetty and I go shopping with Gretchen. Grandma Hetty would probably get her anything if she asked nicely enough but Marty and I want to rein her in to just the necessities.

Gretchen has been asking about you and Aunt Kensi a lot lately and curiosity finally got the better of her. She asked a question of us that neither one knew the answer to. "Where are Daddy and Aunt Kensi and when are they coming home?" You've been gone for what feels like forever for her and your departure has affected her greatly. We had no way to answer it but to tell her as soon as your done you'd come home. Do you have any idea of when that might be? We miss you so much.

Marty is so good with her. He smiles at her and wins her heart. Between him being a big kid himself and having Monty, most battles that she offers are won.

My love as always,

Sara

Dear Kensi,

It seems strange that after harassing you for so many years about writing in a journal that I should start one, but I need to get some feelings out and I can't talk to anyone about these feelings. I tried with Sara but it came out all gushy and it felt awkward so I stopped. I think she felt better about that too. I also tried talking with Hetty but that got weird real fast. She has that Gorgon stare going, ugh. Granger sure knew that look, didn't he?

While I am saddened that the two of you are away and have been now for a couple of months, I am having a wonderful time with Callen's kids. They are super fun to play with. That should be your first hint at what I want when you get home; other than alone time.

I have been stopping by several times during the week when we don't have a case and then spend as much time with them as I can on the weekend. This past weekend we took Gretchen school shopping with Grandma Hetty, and then went home for a barbeque with the "family." It felt good to be there for them.

Monty has a full day playing with them and then comes home, eats, takes his walk and goes to his doggy bed and passes out for the night. I come home exhausted from running after the twins now that they are mobile but it is a good tired feeling. I like kids and I understand them being a big kid myself. Wow, I just admitted that. It's a good thing I write in this journal. Hey, I may have to talk with Nate about that.

I'm seeing the good life that having a family with children can give you and when you get back I want to start our family. I hope that you see that it's time and that you want it too.

That's all for now Fern.

I Love You,

Marty


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Yikes! It has been two weeks since my last posting and I want to apologize for the delay. I'm having a hard time getting my mind around this story so bear with me. Thank you for reading and reviewing. I love you all! This is short and sweet but gives information that Callen and Kensi need and so do you. BlackBear53

Callen went out to find transportation and found an older model Mercedes which just about ran. This would also be a trial for him but he'd get through it. He had to get it right as their lives depended on it. G wished Sam could see him work on the car. He actually worked on it to make it run and it did, after a fashion.

They gathered whatever we could of what they'd brought that hadn't been destroyed. It wasn't much and luckily it all fit in the trunk.

It was fortunate that he'd had the foresight to hide their money at a different location. They still had plenty to live on. It seems they'd gotten close to something that someone hadn't wanted found. It had cost Nieves his life and almost theirs. Now if they only knew what that something was.

They made their way slowly to Khost. As Hetty had said Callen fit in anywhere and Kensi had played his wife many times. They convinced many people that they interacted with that they were married. Kensi just had to play a humble housewife and knowing Kensi , as Callen did, he knew that made the job that much harder for her. He also thought that it was amusing, however, she didn't find it so and she let him know by letting him sleep on the floor.

At last they were able to meet up with Samuel Miller and Michael Forster, the NCIS agents in Khost. Leland Walker had been looking for the agents so when they showed up in Khost, Miller wanted to call Walker. G had to stop him by explaining the last two months. G also had to explain why Kensi and he were there.

Miller accepted the explanation but Forster had a hard time with it. "Why would a decorated sailor like Walker do something like this? He had too much to lose."

G had to agree but at moment it was all they had and none of them liked it. G asked them that if he and Kensi had to bug out early, if they would keep an eye out for Weir? They also would be an information conduit for Kensi and himself since all communication would be risky.

They assumed that Celeste Weir was the only tie to the Taliban and they needed to see how that played out. They might be wrong but that would be how they'd handle it until they knew better. Kensi would follow her to see where she went, if and when, she showed up in Khost.

Three days after they arrived, Runani and his cortege moved into his home in the city.

Kensi was eager to get busy busy finding Celeste and follow her. She had a hard time understanding how someone with so much to lose could commit treason.

She set herself up with Callen at his new cover at the entrance to the airfield. Callen purchased a tool cart full of wrenches, screwdrivers and hammers while on their way to Khost from a elderly man whose son would now care for him. G used it as his cover. It gave him freedom to move about and find information from the townsfolk. That's how they found out about Runani being in Khost.

The best place to pick up Weir would be the air strip where helo's came in. If she were to travel to find Runani that is would be the only she'd get here. She wouldn't take the chance of driving here. Afghani women do not drive, nor do they go out without their male relatives. Her flying here alone would be a grave cultural error and could create problems but they'd wait and see what she did.

After the knife injury Callen took a while to get back on his feet completely. The cut healed slowly and Kensi kept a close eye on it. To be honest it worried her greatly. Normally Callen healed quicker than this but this time it bothered him more than he thought he let on.

Kensi also took the opportunity to get the hovel that they'd found more habitable. Both she and Callen worked to make it more livable but thought that no one had lived in it for a very long time. It actually gave her time to think about what their quarry would be doing and why she'd commit treason. There had to be a reason that would be so important to her to do that.

The day finally came when Weir got off the chopper carrying a basket, put a burqa over her head and headed out of the air field. She stopped at the market and picked up bread, figs and flowers and headed off to the Runani compound. When she arrived she was ushered into a room where the door stood open but Kensi could not hear anything for all the women in there were chattering like they hadn't seen each other for a while. She stood outside the door and watched Weir just sit next to the beautiful woman at the head of the table. She said nothing but looked at the woman with longing.

The basket Weir carried had disappeared before Kensi came to the door. Where was it?

Kensi then withdrew from the doorway and waited for Weir to leave. When she did she carried the basket again and went directly back to her chopper and flew away.

Something wasn't right here but Kensi thought that she now had a place to work from. If only they had a way to find out how she got the messages to whoever received them. Celeste Weir would have to watch her back from now on.


	10. Chapter 10

Ten Months

Darling G,

I received a phone call from Hetty today summoning me to the boatshed. She said it was for an update on your whereabouts. Unfortunately I did not get a good vibe from this. I arranged for a sitter to come by at three o'clock. She watched the twins and was there for Gretchen when the bus did the drop off.

Hetty, being Hetty, sent Marty to pick me up. That, in itself, should have told me what would be coming.

Marty arrived and I went out to the car. I could tell by his expression that he wasn't feeling so great about this meeting either. He dropped another bombshell on me. Director Vance would be there as well; like I said, not a good vibe.

When we arrived we were invited to sit, offered coffee and tea and then all hell broke loose. Director Vance started the conversation with a few platitudes but quickly moved to the real reason for our being here. "Mrs. Callen, Mr. Deeks, I'm sure you are aware that your spouses have been gone ten months now. We haven't heard from them directly in the last three months. If it were any other agents, we'd have called this mission long ago. Mr. Callen and Mrs. Deeks have magnificent track records as agents and that is why Hetty wanted this held open this long." He hesitated a moment before he went on. "This agency can no longer support this mission."

I wasn't sure of what was being said to me, I just knew it felt wrong.

Marty gave a feral growl, coming deep from within, looked to me and spoke. "What, exactly, are you telling us?" I could sense emptiness in him, like part of him had vanished or worse yet, died. He waited for Vance's reply, biting the inside of his mouth and I could sense his impatience with Vance's hesitation to explain his position.

Vance wore a pained, and very uncomfortable expression and it's toughness made it hard to read. I assume that is the part of the job he'd never got used to. "Mr. Deeks, I'm saying that NCIS is declaring both Mr. Callen and Mrs. Deeks dead." There it was in plain English.

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I've always known it was a possibility but to actually hear the words...my breath fought to escape my lungs.

Sam entered the boatshed just as Vance spoke those dreaded words. He came and held me and put his other hand on Marty's shoulder for support. His pain was just as evident and as palpable as our own. He'd been blindsided by the news as well.

I turned to look at Hetty and I knew then what I'd known ten months ago, that she hated everything about this. She hadn't wanted the two of you to go and she really didn't want to make this announcement now. It was plain from the expression on her face and normally she's unreadable.

Vance shook his head and got up to leave. As he stood he made an announcement. "There will be a memorial service for them on Tuesday at 10:00 AM.

It irritated me that both of you could be casually dismissed like this and before I knew it words spilt from my mouth. "No Sir, there will not." Marty's head turned on a swivel in my direction and Sam's hands found mine.

Vance stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. Hetty gave me a small smirk reminiscent of you. "Mrs. Callen?"

I stood up and walked right up to the head of a federal agency and looked him in the eye. "No we will not. G is not dead and neither is Kensi. Marty and I would know that. Why is this really being done? So their salary doesn't need to be paid anymore? Okay pay the widow's benefits due me, but there will be no service or funeral for Callen until I know for sure. I really can't and shouldn't speak for Marty but I for one am willing to wait for that day."

Vance turned to Marty. "Detective, what do you have to say about it?"

Marty looked at me and gave me a small sad smile. "I couldn't agree more. No service or funeral until we know differently." Then he turned his back on the Director.

Vance nodded to all of us and left.

Hetty just about tap danced back to us after she walked him out. "I have fought that battle for the last month. He wouldn't take no from me. I'm glad you two could make him see reason. Unfortunately I still need to dispense with their salaries." She looked to me and smiled. I think it was at my audacity. "How are you doing financially?"

I thought about it for a moment. "I'm fine for the next couple of months. I'll need to get a job and a nanny for the babies. I still have my license to teach."

Hetty went on to say she'd look for the nanny and I appreciated any help she could give.

Sam sat stunned; after all it was his partner we'd been talking about. "Are you sure about this Sara?"

I sat down next to him and took his hands in mine, like he'd done for me a few moments ago. "Yes Sam, I'm sure. G and I have a strong bond that I'd know if he were gone. I won't give up on him, ever."

Sam nodded back and smiled. "Neither will Michelle or I. Anything you need, just ask."

Marty got up and headed for the door. "Let's go get the Greebles and go for ice cream for dinner. Maybe we can find bacon and broccoli ice cream."

Sam groaned and I laughed. He is an extremely funny man but this seemed over the top even for him. I sensed a lot of pain just below the surface of Marty Deeks.

Love you forever,

Sara

Dearest Kensi,

Four months ago I started writing in this journal to help me with my feelings, both good and bad. As time goes by I am finding myself to be more confident in who I am and what I want in life. I want us Kensi. I want us and two or three wee ninja assassins and one has to have your dark hair and mismatched eyes. I like kids and I know you do too. I've gotten a lot of practice playing with Sara and G's kids. They are an awesome bunch. I spend a lot of time over at Callen's with Monty. Those kids love him to bits. I hope that Callen realizes he's getting a dog when you two come home.

I was trying to avoid this part of the journal. Sara and I met with Director Vance and Hetty. He declared you dead and wanted to hold a memorial service for the two of you. Sara amazed or shocked is probably the word, both Sam and I by going toe to toe with the director. She marched right up to him, looked him square in the eye and told him that there would be no service until we knew for sure you two were dead. I agreed with her wholeheartedly. Here's the thing I don't know if it was the right thing to do. I miss you terribly but I don't have the sure feeling that she does. Come home soon and prove my morose side wrong, please.

When all was said and done you could have knocked Sam and me over with a feather. I felt so proud of her. She'll have to go back to teaching since Vance cut off your salaries. Hetty is looking for a nanny for the kids for her. You and I are fine, LAPD pays their detectives fairly well so we won't be living under a bridge when you get home.

I miss you so much Kensalina. Come home soon.

I love you.

Deeks


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So sorry. It has been a while since I last posted in this story. I've had computer issues, health issues and of course the holidays. Well there will be no more excuses just more writing and editing of things already written. Thank you for your patience and for all the previously written reviews that were glorious. BlackBear53

Chapter 11

Kensi and I had visited Khost in the past but living here, even while working, gives you a whole different outlook on the people who inhabit the area. Khost is one of the cultural centers of Afghani life and we learned a lot about the history of the Afghani people while in that city. Don't get me wrong the Afghani people live a hard life and many times you don't know who your neighbors are and what their beliefs are. Some might even be members of the Taliban. Like I said, you just don't know. Kensi and I always chose to live away, on the outskirts or the town, far from most of the natives but again you never knew who watched you and why they would do that.

When I moved my cart to the market outside of the airbase in Khost many of the other vendors were resentful of any spot I might take. It didn't make any difference if you were from the town or a refugee trying to make a life for your family they just didn't care for strangers. I was there selling my tools but it also proved beneficial to keeping an eye on locals and who came and went from the airfield. There were some interesting people coming and going so we found the resident NCIS agent and reported this things to him.

Kensi actually had more freedom to garner information. She understands Pashtu but can't speak it. When we go to the market she picks up information on area Taliban locations and movements then sending to the NCIS agents in Khost. Market time for Kensi meant personal freedom. It gets her out of the house and gives her something constructive to do. She watched the other women day after day as they gathered their food wares at the market areas. She did this so that she could observe their means of carrying those purchases home. Some of the women carried woven bags, some used home-made baskets that they carried home on their heads and some of the women even had metal carts that their husbands purchased for them from the airbase. Not one of them used they type of basket that Celeste Weir carried and that bothered Kensi and much to her dismay you couldn't even purchase one in all of Khost. That damn basket haunted Kensi for she thought it might be a connection that could solve what we looked into. She felt it was used for a purpose and the shopping was a ploy to cover whatever she did. She wanted someone in Kabul to check into it: but who? We couldn't exactly call Leland Walker. He'd talk with Weir and the game would be up. She felt she'd think about it some more, so I let her stew over it but I'd only give her a small grace period.

While I sat at the gates of the airfield for the next two months Celeste Weir came and went four times. At the end of those two months Hassiq Runani moved on to a town, much smaller in size, but still part of his father-in-laws parliamentary district. During that time Weir didn't show-up and we began to wonder if we'd got it wrong.

Sam Miller, the agent from Khost, came to our home one night with bad news. Two more service men had been executed. Both Marines had been based in Khost. Miller had found no reason for them to be killed. Both were just grunts that had no special jobs. The killings had followed them to Khost but further more they'd followed Weir. Agent Miller had more to share as well. There were rumors that two agents had moved into the area. His concern was that the rumor pertained to us. He wanted us to move in closer to his office where we'd be protected. When we said no, he suggested moving further into the hills. Both Kensi and I thanked him for his worry but we'd stay put. After he left Kensi said she wanted to stay to see if we'd flush out someone else who could lead us to the truth.

Much to our dismay Celeste Weir didn't show up and we surmised that no airbase meant no travelling to this place for her.

A few days after Miller's visit I went to the town square to sell my goods. Another vendor started yelling at me for getting one of the better spots in the market. I'd always had a cordial relationship with this particular vendor so the scene he created made me wonder what had happened to change that. I generously offered him my space and moved my cart to the far end of the square.

After the day of brisk sales, which I have to say surprised me, I headed for home. I was a short way from home when I ran into some of the men who'd objected to my original place. I'd never seen any of them outside of the market before today but they apparently were serious about those objections. When I acknowledged those objections, they apparently didn't believe me and so they impressed that upon me. They let me know how they felt with a pretty serious beating, so severe that I had no idea how long I lay in the ditch by the road. Kensi came by later looking for me. She found me a brought me home in my cart. I don't remember much of that night but I understand Kensi found a doctor in the next small town and forced him to come with her. For a woman who was acting deaf and dumb she did well. I'd have loved to see how she did it.

While those gentlemen beat me others stole some of the goods from my cart but I looked at that as part of their warning and decided to live with it. Those goods eventually showed up in the market place and when they did I received a visit from the first vendor; the one who'd given me a hard time. He'd grown suspicious when my tools showed up for resale and I hadn't. He'd found our home and asked about what happened to me. This gentleman's name was Omid Hazziq. He held the unofficial title of Square Master. He asked several questions ending with the most important one. 'Did I recognize the men who attacked me?' Since I honestly couldn't, I had to say no. Omid had some ideas as to their identities but if he said anything it could cause him and his family serious problems. I understood what he meant so I said nothing. He turned to leave, telling me he hoped to see me back in the market soon. He waved over his shoulder as me walked down the road back to town.

Kensi came from the back room and watched as Hazziq walked down the road. "He came on a fishing expedition."

I nodded as I watched him. I knew we were getting close and that was a good thing after so long.

Hazziq Runani left the next day on his roundabout way to Kandahar.

Just after he left, Kensi and I went to see Sam Miller on our way to Kandahar. We had to wait for an hour for him to come back to his office and Kensi paced like a mad woman. I knew something bothered her but she wasn't in the mood to share. I knew enough to let her be.

When Miller got back he immediately noticed the faded bruises on my face and asked about it.

I told him the same thing I told Omid and I also saw that it didn't sit well with him.

Kensi asked about finding a way to get information out of Kabul. She needed someone to check out Weir's basket.

Sam Miller didn't understand Kensi's urge to know. So she explained it to him. When the reasons had been given he wondered out loud as to who might help since NCIS was out of the loop.

I remembered the Army Major who ran CID and his pony in this race. "A Major Allen, Army CID, is also looking into the murders. Maybe he'd help us. He wants this stopped as well."

Sam nodded. "That could work. He'll need a reason to look for her."

I looked to Kensi who nodded her approval and then back to Sam. "He won't need any other reason than treason. Ask him to keep an eye on her and let you know what he finds."

Kensi then spoke up, "Tell him she carries a large basket that she uses for shopping. Someone may be may be slipping the information into the basket without her knowledge or she may even be doing it on her own. I don't know which but it needs to be stopped."

Miller picked up his SAT phone and placed that call to Major Allen. We sat and listened.

Major Allen, still ' oh so' amiable, gave Miller a start when he growled. "Not this crap again"

Sam just ignored him and moved into his spiel about treason and how it affected all of the armed servicemen and women.

Major Allen began to pay attention. When the topic of Celeste Weir and NCIS came around he questioned why she hadn't been taken out of the game.

I had to admit it was an honest question but one that Sam had to lie about. "We tried but we think the Taliban got our investigators. Now we need to try another way. We'd like you to get hold of Weir's basket and check it out. See if there is anything unusual about it. If there is we'll set up a little trap for the user. If not we'll try something else. Either way we need to stop these murders."

Major Allen agreed to that. "What do you suggest?"

Sam turned to Kensi who wrote what she needed and then gave him Kensi's idea. The Major agreed to let Sam know what happened.

We just hoped it would be soon.


	12. Chapter 12

Eighteen Months

Chapter 12

A Week Later

Sergeant Angela Avery, clad in the coffee brown burka that many women wore in Kabul, moved through the marketplace just outside the airbase in Kabul. She'd observed Celeste Weir as she shopped the small independent booths of the native Afghanis. Avery had followed Weir for the past few days, picking her up at NCIS headquarters. Weir always hesitated putting her burka on until after she left the building and to Avery that showed an affront to the Afghani women. Weir didn't seem to care though and it actually worked in Sergeant Avery's favor because she actually sure of who she followed.

So today she again followed Special Agent Weir and her lovely basket, but today Avery carried her own, a copy of Weir's. Weir had shopped and purchased some melons, which Avery then bought and some berries and again Avery bought those. Everything had to be the same, at least at first glance.

Agent Weir stopped at a jewelry booth and placed her basket on the ground as she moved about and perused the goods.

Avery took the moment to move in and exchange the baskets and then move down a few stalls to check Weir's basket out. She opened it and cautiously put her hand in past the melons and berries to check the bottom and sides. The sides gave away nothing but the bottom was thicker and heavier than her basket. As she moved her hand she felt a tiny lever and when she moved it the top clicked up just a small amount due to the weight of the melons. The compartment was empty at the moment.

Avery then closed the space and made her way back to her own basket and Agent Weir. She had to make the exchange before Weir went back to the basket.

Celeste Weir had just finalized her purchase and was having a small chat with the jewelry vendor as the Sergeant placed the basket back down and took her own and left.

She needed to see the Major as soon as possible and report.

Major Allen was actually pleased that the Sergeant's time had not been wasted by NCIS. He was also glad that maybe they'd finally get the person who aided the enemy and to whom he'd lost some good men and women. He reached into his desk and pulled out his SAT phone to call Special Agent Miller.

Ever since the first conversation between Miller and the Major, Kensi had spent a lot of time in Miller's office, waiting for word from Kabul. Today seemed to be her lucky day. Miller's SAT phone rang and he motioned for her to be still. She hung on every word Miller said.

Miller put down his SAT phone and grinned at Kensi. "It seems like you got it right. The basket is the key to this. Major Allen's agent found a hidden compartment in the bottom of Weir's basket. Now the question is…does she place the information there or does someone else? We'll have to see how this plays out."

Kensi's brain went into overdrive. "Do we know when her next visit is? Major Allen could find out. Call him back."

Agent Miller just smiled. "She won't have to travel. Runani is going back to Kabul the day after tomorrow." He gave a little chuckle. 'Major Allen is one step ahead of you. Now go home and get ready to move. You and Callen will want to be in Kabul waiting for the next visit to the Runani household."

Kensi nodded and turned to leave but remembered the photo of Weir and the mystery woman. "Do you know who this is?"

Miller took a moment to think. "I think it is Runani's wife. Why?"

Kensi blinked back her shock but let it go quickly. "Celeste Weir and she are close. I think I saw the 'look of love' in Weir's eyes and in the way they touched.

Miller shook his head. "I don't think so, at least on Mrs. Runani's part. If she did she'd be giving up so much and would have a rough time for the rest of her life. The Koran is very strict about homosexual behaviors." Sam shook his head again. "No I don't think so, but I never say never about anything. Some things here have surprised me." He stopped and a huge grin took over his face. "Now get out of here and let me get some work done."

Kensi laughed with him, thanked him again for all of his assistance, threw on her burka and left the building. She felt in her bones that this was almost over and they'd be on their way home soon. She, for one, couldn't wait for the plane ride home.

Callen walked home from his day at the airbase and tool selling. While he made his way home he thought about the valuable intelligence they'd found and funneled home through Agent Miller. He knew his skills were becoming dulled and it bothered him. There always seemed to be the danger of going native and forgetting what you're there for. For all the aspects of undercover work, that one frightened him the most. Before this elongated mission he would never have worn a full beard but now it felt right. He wondered how Sara and the kids would feel about it if he decided to keep it. The emotions from thinking about his family almost knocked him down. The twins wouldn't recognize him at all and Gretchen…well he'd deal with that when he got home and hopefully that would be soon.

Kensi impatiently waited for him. Dinner cooked on the stove and she paced the room. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he came through the door. "Callen, Runani is going back to Kabul the day after tomorrow. The woman in the picture is his wife and she and Weir are very close."

Callen hadn't seen Kensi this excited since her wedding day. Normally she thought quietly so whatever she found must really be something. "Whoa, Kens, stop pacing, sit down and tell me about it." He took a step back. "Wait, what picture are you talking about?"

Kensi went for her camera. She found the picture of Runani's wife. "She and Weir are close in some way. I think that Weir is in love with her. Miller seems to think that Runani's wife is just a friend…but that's not what I saw. Weir buys her gifts, brings fruit and vegetables to the household. In the process information is passed in a secret compartment of her basket. Miller heard from Major Allen this afternoon. We need to follow her back to Kabul and take her down."

Callen spent the next few moments thinking. "Careful Kens, you're letting the cart get before the horse. We need to be very careful here. Runani is an extremely powerful man and a relative of a member of parliment. We can't just accuse him, first off, of being a member of the Taliban and secondly, being a murderer. There would be repercussions all the way back to Director Vance's office and right up to the President. We have to use caution here. Now tell me about this slowly and calmly."

Kensi grated at his reasoning but understood that being careful would lead to an arrest and going home to Los Angeles. She thought of the afternoon before leaving for Afghanistan and how good it felt to be with Deeks and Monty. The thoughts hit her like a ton of bricks. She often wondered if Callen knew she cried at night. He'd be too much of a gentleman to say anything but she wondered just the same.

A Week Later

Celeste Weir closed the door behind her, took two steps and put on her damned burka. She hated the thing but knew it was a means to an end. She turned toward the marketplace and thought about her visit with Jasmina Runani later today. There seemed to be some feelings there but Weir knew that nothing would ever come of it. She also knew that in three months she'd be rotated out and back home.

While she walked toward her destination two figures followed her. One was Sergeant Avery and the other was Corporal Jesse Walton. Avery carried her basket but it had a compartment built into the bottom so now it matched Weir's completely.

Weir moved through the market buying two heads of cabbage and a large bag of dates. She knew that Jasmina loved dates. She then moved on to a stall that sold warm scarves and gloves. The weather would soon become cooler and Celeste worried about Jasmina and how the cold affected her lungs.

While she purchased her goods, Sergeant Avery purchase the identical items. When it seemed like Weir would be heading to the Runani compound, Corporal Walton, who wore a full beard and about two hundred fifty pounds, bumped into Weir and caused her to drop her basket. He kept Weir's attention by shouting at her in Pashtu, calling her a stupid woman, berating her for being out alone. He kept this up until he saw Avery exchange the baskets and walk away.

When Weir picked up 'her' basket and walked away both Walton and Avery made their way to the Runani household. They checked the basket to see what the compartment held and it seems they hit the jackpot. At one of the crossroads on the way to the Runani compound another agent took the basket off their hands and back to Army CID.

Callen and Kensi awaited them and whatever information CID found at the compound. Kensi's anticipation was off the charts. Callen sensed her nerves from across the street. He knew that if her nerves got the better of her they might lose the advantage they held at this moment. "Kens, chill and let this play out."

A woman wearing a light blue burka turned the corner towards the compound.

Sergeant Avery was right behind her. "That is Weir in the blue. She has my basket and we turned hers into CID. Major Allen says location and names of two more Marines are inside. These are not grunts. They are high in the food chain. It's time to take her down. Agent Callen if you'd give the word."

Callen gave a silent nod. "Kensi, Sergeant Avery take her now."

The two women approached Agent Weir, quietly asked her to go with them which she quietly acquiesced to.

Callen followed them to Army CID and met with Corporal Walton and Major Allen, who was surprised to see G.

Kensi and Angela took Celeste to an interrogation room. All the women removed their burkas.

Celeste Weir gasped when she saw Kensi. "You…Leland and I… we thought you were dead. We sent reports to Washington saying you and Agent Callen were missing and presumed dead. Oh my God, where've you been?"

Kensi ignored her questions. "Why are you giving names of American servicemen to the Taliban?'

Weir, who seemed to be in shock at the appearance of Kensi and Callen, didn't hear the question. She kept looking at Kensi as if she would disappear again.

Sergeant Avery asked the question again. "Why did you give names of servicemen to the Taliban?"

Apparently having the question asked by someone else woke her from her confused state. "What? I gave names to the Taliban? Not me…I would never do such a thing."

Kensi decided to be the watcher in the room so she moved to stand next to the door where she could watch the facial expressions and the physical mannerisms that tell the difference between truth and lies. So far all she noticed was truth.

Weir sat upright in her seat. The idea of treasonous behavior riled her, but to be blamed for it…well that would not do.

Kensi read her physical stature as angry, not confused. She really didn't seem like the type to commit treason but questions still needed to be asked.

Sergeant Avery seemed to be a good interrogator so Kensi let her continue. "Who is it that you see in the Runani household and what is your relation to her?"

Weir didn't let her emotions get in the way. "I go to see Jasmina Runani. We are friends. I want more but it can't be. I accept that."

Sergeant Avery went to the basket. "Where did you buy your basket and how long ago was that?"

Celeste looked around the room and realizing for the first time that she was in an interrogation room. The question was an odd one. "What about my basket? Why is this important?"

The Sergeant looked up at Kensi. Kensi nodded for her to continue. "The basket is used to deliver names of servicemen to the Taliban. Did you know there is a hidden compartment in the bottom that was used to convey those names? Who were you giving the names to? Jasmina?"

Weir's face has the 'just slapped' look. "A secret compartment, really? I had no idea. As for who I gave names to…Jasmina wouldn't do that. I have no idea what you're talking about because I didn't do it."

Avery kept her eyes on Weir. "Where did you get that basket and how long have you had it?"

Celeste was more relaxed now and the answers to these questions came quickly. "When I first came to Kabul, I had no place to stay. Leland Walker had a double house and he asked if I wanted to live in the other side. I agreed to it. Since I did the cooking; he's a terrible cook, I would go to the market. In the beginning I would use bags I brought from home but they rapidly wore out. He graciously bought the basket for me. I guess I've had it almost two years now." All of a sudden her eyes popped wide open. "Leland gave it to me. He also introduced me to Jasmina. Oh my, do you think there's a connection?"

Sergeant Avery gave Kensi a look that said. Let's go get him.

Kensi nodded back.

In the outer room Callen sat with Major Allen and Corporal Walton. All three nodded their heads in agreement. The only thing they needed now was a plan to get Leland Walker.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long. Hopefully Callen and Kensi talk to me for the next one.

Deeks POV

Dearest Kensi,

The last few months have been brutal for me. I've worked both OSP and LAPD cases for weeks on end. LAPD called me back for a case that opened up after we'd considered it dead. I finally could close it.

We have two new faces in the bullpen, Sandy Coswell and Derrin Grinell. The 'temps' think they've got a new gig, and that would be a permanent position here at OSP. Sam and I have faith that you'll be home soon. I, now, understand how Sam felt using the term 'temp' for me when the team looked for Dom. We look to each other when the word 'temp' is spoken and Sandy and Derrin don't get it, but the longer you stay away the more permanent this situation seems. Ha, I finally said it outloud, so, if you could just hurry it up and come home it would be awesome.

The last two months, brutal as they were, just flew by. So much has happened that I don't know where to start. Well, here goes…my truck died on Pasadena Avenue on my way to work. I had it towed and the mechanic said a prayer over it and declared it dead. Sam picked me up on the way to a case. I'll probably never hear the end of it from him. Hetty, later, lent me a motor pool car until I took time to get a new vehicle which I did. I bought a new truck. She is a beautiful, wait for it Fern….cornflower blue. I call her Princess. Kendyl actually named her and I think it's after Princess Aurora, who she adores. She's so pretty sitting in the driveway.

I've been spending whatever spare moments I have with Sara and the kids. They are a special bunch. Jarrett is all mischievous boy; a real imp. Kendyl is more laid back, a little lady until someone (usually Jarrett) crosses her. Then she's a force to be reckoned with. She's very much like her mother in that respect. Gretchen is a very smart little girl. She's received many academic awards at school. Speaking of school, in three weeks both Sara and Gretchen will be out of school for the summer. Alright I admit that I love being part of their lives but I can't wait for you to come home and we can start our own family. I'd like to brag about our kids like this one day.

Before you wonder if I could afford a new truck, sorry to jump around like this, I got a promotion from LAPD. I now hold my Lead Detective Badge. I mention this because several others earned promotions as well and there was a big hoopla raised and the Department held a gala to celebrate. Before you see pictures of the event, Sara went with me at Hetty's request. It probably was the most uncomfortable evenings either of us ever experienced. So many asked where you were and I honestly didn't know how to answer. We didn't stay long but pictures were taken and I'm so sorry for it.

And now get ready for the "piece de résistance." I find myself sitting on a surfboard in Kalapaki Bay on Kauai. I hear you asking why. Well that is the sixty-four thousand dollar question I keep asking. Sara is here as well and neither of us understands why. I guess its Hetty being Hetty again.

We're staying at the Marriott just across the bay from where I'm sitting. I can't help wanting you on a board next to me. We'll maybe we'll get back here someday.

Here's the really crazy thing about this trip, we left LA with nothing. We were told get in the limo and off we were to Hawaii. When we got here everything we needed was in our room and I mean everything. It blew us both away.

Sara and I have been thinking and talking about both of you lately. I get the sense that Sara may be regretting her outburst to Director Vance. I know I second guess it every time I walk through our front door.

While we've been here we've checked out beaches all over the island, eaten in the restaurants at the resort and around the island. We are having a blast but it comes with questions and we're getting no answers. Hetty isn't talking. She's being her enigmatic self.

Well it's getting late and I'm meeting Sara in the lobby at 5:00. We heard of a beach on the other side of the island where the sunsets are spectacular. I'll let you know how they compare to LA's.

Love you and talk to you soon,

Deeks

Sara's POV

Dear Heart of Mine,

The last few months have been tough for this family. Hearing Director Vance pronounce both you and Kensi dead make my heart stop. Having to go back to work left me with other problems but they were all solved with Hetty's help.

Working gave me a new outlook on life. It boosted my self-esteem and self-worth and a nice salary that met my expectations and then some. Don't worry, the bills are under control and since you didn't have a mortgage to pay. I even get to splurge for the children every now and again. We're doing fine.

Hetty found a nanny for the children, from Connecticut of all places. Her name is Stacie and her husband is Mike. Stacie is a retired preschool teacher and Mike is an accountant who came to California to get away from the cold. I told them they could get a whole lot worse here. They came over last weekend to help with yard work as I don't fix fences…yet. They inquired about the hidden gate and I told them about our escape oh so long ago. I'm sure they're curious about the bench but are polite enough not to ask. Jarrett and Kendyl are doing so well with Stacie that I decided not to enroll them in preschool. She works with them on what they need to know to get into kindergarten and then takes them to the park for play dates. She's even got a roster of families who go to the park so that the children can get together for play dates other than at the park. She is good for the kids and me. She's become a friend that I can talk with.

When Marty has free time he comes and helps put the kids to bed. That is after he winds them up. He after all is nothing but a big kid. He and Monty spend weekends with us, when he can. LAPD called him again.

I think he's desperately lonely for Kensi. Last weekend we spent Saturday at Disneyland. He said we must go because Kensi hates Disneyland and when she gets back they'll never go so I relented. I insisted we go halfsies and he agreed. G, the kids had a ball so when you get back we'll go again.

Oh the small ones call, I'll be right back!

I'm back. Okay I'll be blunt. I miss you and I just can't tell you how much. You'd think with three kids to take care of and family in and out of the house I wouldn't feel that but I do and it is intense.

Remember the summer the twins were born? It was hot and humid, well it's like that now and it's nearly the end of September. We spend a lot of time at the beach with Uncle Marty and Monty. By the way the kids love Monty to pieces and want a dog of their own. When you get home we're getting one so you'll just have to live with it. Gretchen is learning to surf with Uncle Marty. It's slow going but she's determined to do it so she will. She reminds me of you in that.

Gretchen is almost done with first grade and she's done well. She's top of her reading level and she's even mentored some of her classmates in math. She's one smart cookie, but that should come as no surprise, look at who her parents are. (Chuckling)

There is screaming in the back yard. I need to check it out. It's Uncle Marty being sprayed by Jarrett. I think he'll survive.

My Sweet Man, when are you coming home? Maybe I've prolonged the inevitable for Marty and myself. Maybe you're not coming home. Marty and I have talked about this a lot lately. We don't know why but it seems important. We've tried talking to Hetty but she says nothing and gives us the enigmatic smile of hers. Please…remind me why you like her so much.

Something weird happened two days ago. I came home from work and a limo shows up at the door and asks me to get in. Stacie says she's been asked to stay with the kids for a few days and that I'm supposed to go. I grab my purse and get in the limo. Marty is sitting in the seat next to me looking as confused as I am. When I questioned him he shrugged his answer and looked away. We arrived at LAX and the limo driver hands us two first class tickets to Hawaii. "Have a nice flight." He says and drives away. Neither of us has luggage so we go through the door and up to the ticket counter and the women doesn't seem surprised that we have nothing but ourselves. We asked who bought the tickets…no answer just, "Have a nice trip." We were met at the Lihue airport by a driver and taken to the car rental place where a jeep awaited us. When we entered our room at the Marriott we found everything we'd need for our visit and I mean everything.

Right at the moment I'm sitting around the pool soaking up some sun. Marty is out surfing on the bay. Why we are here is still a mystery that neither Marty nor I can explain and as usual Hetty is as closed mouthed as ever.

This evening we're going to a place called Polihale Beach for the sunset. We hear they're spectacular. I'll write again and tell you about it.

We'll I need to go wash the sunscreen off and get ready to go.

I love you so much,

Sara


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Callen, ever the taciturn man, finally decided to give me the skinny on what happened to end the eighteen months of grueling investigation. Sorry he took so long. Please enjoy and rest assured that the final chapter is already in place.

Afghanistan

Callen sat contemplating what he just heard in the interrogation room. Apparently, Walker let Weir do the dirty work for him. The way she acted with Kensi and Angela, it didn't really seem like she knew what happened to her. Now the lack of an investigation that irritated him so much when they arrived in Kabul made perfect sense. No one would have suspected Walker with his perfect past and why would he investigate himself? Well the time to finish this had come and he would finish this and make Walker pay for the last eighteen months.

Major Allen took G aside. "Agent Callen this started out as your investigation and I never gave it a second thought. Finish this so our men and women can be safer doing their jobs. I'll set up back up for you and Agent Blye. Sergeant Avery and Corporal Walton are yours for the interim. Do it." He shook Callen's hand and left to get their back up in place.

Corporal Walton sat watching the screen before them. He'd seen his boss talking to Callen and his curiosity was roused. "So, Agent Callen, what do we do now?" Walton hadn't been in country long working with CID here. His experience level with CID consisted of Army Bases in the United States, not in a dangerous country such as this with so many variables in play.

Callen looked over his should as he got up to get coffee. "We find a way to get Walker." He thought as he poured sugar in his cup and motioned to Walton asking if he wanted one.

Walton declined with a shake of his head.

G spoke. "Kensi, you and Sergeant Avery step out. We need to talk."

He heard the tap in his ear that signaled Kensi's answer. He saw Kensi motion to Avery and both women exited the room.

Kensi moved to where Callen stood. Callen read her like a book and knew exactly, from former experience, how she felt.

Kensi stared back into interrogation and seethed. "How do you want to handle this? That woman in there is irate and I can understand that. A man she obviously admired used her to cover for his acts of treason." She thought a moment. "I'm bringing her some coffee."

Callen nodded his agreement but raised his finger as if to say, wait. He turned to look into the interrogation room. "Do it later. Would you say she's angry enough to retaliate? We could use her to get into Runani's house and get the information into the Taliban's hands and see where it goes."

Everyone in the room thought about the question for a moment.

Sergeant Avery spoke first. "If it were me…I'd do it. All we can do is ask her and if that fails, nudge her a bit."

Corporal Walton agreed with his partner. "Agent Weir is a trained agent so we don't really have to worry about her much. She's gone undercover before, hasn't she?"

Kensi wondered at the callousness of the CID agents. You always worried when you put someone under. "There is always a chance something could go wrong but you are right in one respect: she is a trained agent."

Callen nodded again as he thought. "Kensi, go in with her, take her that coffee and talk it through with her. Let her see it through a woman's eyes. It would be better coming from you rather than Jesse or me. Sergeant Avery, Angela, go in with Kensi. Make her feel at home." He picked up his coffee cup to move back to the table to watch the interrogation room and what went on in there. He wondered what information CID put in the bottom of the basket. "Out of curiosity, what message did you put in the compartment?"

Jesse Walton and Angela Avery looked at each other and gave a little laugh. "Two soldiers names from D company; Captain Michael Mousic and Lieutenant Colonel Donald Duckworth."

Callen and Kensi snorted with amusement.

Kensi then responded with a chuckle. "That ought to put a bee in the Taliban's bonnet."

Two hours later Kensi had talked Celeste into helping to catch Leland Walker for his treasonous actions. She'd asked a good many questions and many of them were pertinent. On the top of the list was what her punishment would be. The second was what would happen to Leland.

Callen saw no reason to have her stand for punishment but it wouldn't be his call. Director Vance would have to smooth some feathers to get her out from under. He also didn't know what would be in store for Walker but prison seemed as good a guess as any.

Kensi and Angela spent the next hour giving Weir a place to put her anger. She agreed to call Runani's wife and arrange to meet with her tomorrow. Celeste gave the excuse of not being able to get time off for their lunch together.

When that conversation ended she turned to Kensi and asked where she'd spend the evening. Angela offered her place to stay. No one wanted to see her put in a cell overnight or go home for that matter and no one wanted her to have a confrontation with Leland Walker. That could interfere with the operation.

The Next Day

Celeste Weir made it clear she was in no hurry to get to the Runani compound. She acutely felt the presence of Agent Blye and Sergeant Avery as they followed her to Jasmina Runani's home. She dreaded facing Jasmina and finding if her family or her husband were involved with Leland's treason. She hadn't wanted this to happen this quickly but understood the urgency of the situation. It had been going on too long already.

As she walked toward the compound her basket felt unusually heavy. Oh, she knew it only contained the matching necklace to the earrings she'd purchased earlier, two bags of cashews that Jasmina liked and some berries for her as well. No what made it so heavy was the information in the cache in the bottom and the idea of what it could mean. Leland's life as an agent would be over and his freedom would be forfeited as well. The Runani's life could be ruined and Jasmina's father, the Member of Parliament, could be severely reprimanded and lose his position if Runani were involved. She, herself, could go to prison as an accessory to treason, no matter how unknowingly she did it. Even if Agents Callen and Blye believed her, they couldn't promise anything to her. She knew that they wouldn't make her a promise that they couldn't keep.

As she neared the Runani compound she saw Agent Callen standing across the street and Corporal Walton, she knew, waited around back to follow whoever took the information. He would be joined by other CID agents.

Stopping at the door, she took a moment to gather her emotions. She hadn't planned on saying good-bye to Jasmina yet. "Well…here we go." She turned and went in. Sergeant Avery followed her in and stayed by the door.

Removing her burqka, Celeste's eyes traversed the room looking for Agent Blye's arrival. What she saw was a lot of women who came to share their plight with Jasmina so that she'd intervene with her husband or her father. Celeste had never seen many of them before and that would be good. No one would notice Kensi or Angela in the assembly of strange women or consider it odd that they were there.

She made her way to Jasmina's side, gave her a smile and proffered her basket. As the basket was acknowledged and dropped by Jasmina's side a man came from the kitchen.

Kensi came in and scanned the room, watching the women mill around and noticing that not one of them paid any attention to the basket or Celeste.

The man who came from the kitchen came forth to take the basket back to the kitchen. "Callen, a man in a blue hat and navy blue vest, just took the basket to the kitchen. Is Jesse with you?"

Corporal Walton answered. "No I'm in the kitchen watching the man remove Celeste's purchases from the basket and now he's taking the information from the bottom. Wait, he's heading for the back door. I'm on it. He has a friend who waited outside. He's wearing a brown hat, a grey jacket and camouflage pants. We'll follow him and let you know where we end up."

Callen didn't like being left out of the chase and so he began to move to the back of the building. "Tell me now so that I can follow at a distance and make sure your backs are covered. We don't want them getting away now do we?" He tapped his earwig twice, a notice for Kensi. "Kensi, give Celeste a few minutes and then you and Angela get her out of there. The compound may turn into a hornet's nest soon and I don't want you there when it does." Callen heard Kensi's tap in his ear and moved out to follow Jesse and his CID team.

Kensi and Angela stood by the door waiting for Celeste to finish up with Jasmina.

Celeste spoke quietly with Jasmina telling her that today would be the last time to be together as friends. She'd be leaving for home soon. Before it became too difficult Celeste rose and said her good-byes. Placing her burqka over her head, she moved to the door to the outdoors leaving Kensi, Angela, Jasmina and her basket behind.

Ten Minutes Later

Callen finally caught up with the CID team after making sure that they hadn't been followed. They followed them in a section of Kabul that Callen had never been in before. Twenty minutes later the man they followed arrived at the door of a mosque and was met by another who ushered him inside. Callen and the CID team found places to watch for the man to leave.

An hour and a half later "their" man left the mosque with two others. While no weapons were visible it didn't mean there wasn't any. Callen instinctively knew they carried weapons. It seemed as it would become serious for Leland Walker. Luckily Major Allen decided to place security on Leland Walker.

The men led a merry chase through the streets of Kabul. While they took a circuitous route, Callen knew where they'd eventually end up. He also knew that the reason for the delay was to get more men in place to take down Walker. He used his SAT phone to give Major Allen a heads up as to what was either in place already or what would soon be there. The major said he and his agents were ready. Callen nodded and hung up.

The meandering through the maze of Kabul lasted another half hour.

Callen and Jesse arrived just behind the Taliban men and slid unto hiding place to watch their quarries. Only two other of the Taliban had joined the party. Callen guessed that they thought Walker would be a cake walk. Wouldn't they be surprised?

Callen and Walton waited, watching the Afghani men they'd followed hoping they'd make their move soon.

A blue blur swept by on Callen's left.

Celeste Weir rushed up to Walker's door and pounded on it.

Walker opened his door as if it were nothing. He made no move to protect himself and that worried Callen.

Weir ripped off her burqka and laid into her boss about how he'd used her to commit treason. Between her tears she berated him on using her and how much she used to admire him and his past service. Her comments became too quiet for them to hear but Walker did and he tried to console her which she shrugged off.

Apparently the leader of the Taliban group had seen enough of the tirade and decided to finish what he'd come for. He and another of his men strode up to the door and proceeded to question Walker about the message in the bottom of the basket.

Walker, knowing full well what he'd put in the bottom of Weir's basket, stood bewildered at the man's questions. Suddenly it dawned on him what Weir had done and what she ranted about. He turned to Celeste and eyed her up and down. "What did you do? Did you change what I'd put in the basket? Dear God…you did, didn't you?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Do you know what happens next? They kill us."

Kensi and Angela arrived just as he asked those questions.

The Leader of the Taliban, done being patient, didn't want to hear more from the two. He wanted his answers. He slapped Celeste to the porch floor and then turned to Walker saying something in Dari to him.

Walker, traitor though he was, was a gentleman to the last. He picked Celeste up from the floor. No woman would be abused in his presence. When Weir stood on her own, Leland turned to the Taliban leader and punched him in the gut.

At the assault on their leader, the Taliban members all opened fire on the porch. They killed Walker outright and as far as Callen could tell only wounded Weir.

Corporal Walton took out Weir's shooter and Army CID took out the other members of the Taliban group.

Kensi went to Celeste and checked out her wounds. Both women knew they were fatal.

Celeste looked up at Kensi and whispered. "It's okay. We stopped them. I know I'm dying and I didn't want to die a traitor but would you do me a favor?"

Kensi took Celeste's hand in hers. "What do you need?"

Celeste smiled a feeble smile. "See if you can clear me. I don't want my parents to be ashamed of me."

Kensi nodded. "You have nothing to worry about." She squeezed Weir's hand. "Not one of us will let that happen."

Weir closed her eyes and took her last breath.

Angela glanced over from her dead Taliban and noticed Kensi kneeling by Celeste. She questioned with her eyes if Weir would be alright.

Kensi shook her head no and covered Weir with the dreaded blue burqka one last time.

Major Allen approached Callen shaking his head. "Glad this part is done. Sorry for your loss." He took a moment before continuing. "Hey, I know this isn't how you wanted this to play out but," He looked at the carnage around him and shook his head. "Agent Callen it's time for you and Agent Blye to go home. File your reports, with copies to CID, call your boss and go home. We'll finish up the case. I already have men watching the mosque and the Runani compound. I'll let you know how it turns out."

Callen smirked and nodded his agreement to the proposal. "We'll do that and if I don't hear from you soon I'll haunt you."

Major Allen grunted. "Yeah, I think you would. You've already returned from the grave once." He laughed a short laugh and made his way to his team.

Callen motioned to Kensi. When she stood next to him he grinned at her. We've been given orders to file our reports, call Hetty and go home. Like those orders?"

Kensi looked over her shoulder at the Major and gave a small smile. "Well partner…what're we waiting for. Let's go."

Hours Later

Callen had a major headache and an acid stomach from the half-gallon of coffee he drank while writing his report. Filling eighteen months of his and Kensi's life into a concise but thoroughly explanatory report had been difficult but he, however, felt that he'd done just that. Kensi was in no better condition after the day's ordeal. Both of them needed sleep so the decision to put off calling Hetty until the next morning was a no brainer. What difference could eight hours make?

The next morning both Callen and Kensi's attitudes were upbeat but also apprehensive. Neither could wait to go home but how could they explain their whereabouts to everyone, especially their spouses.

Callen picked up the office SAT phone and dialed Hetty's. He knew that she always carried it. It rang once, twice and a voice that he revered answered. "This had better be good Agent Walker, I'm just about to go to a concert with the Police Commissioner and now I'll be late."

Callen laughed to himself. He thought he'd never hear that voice again. "It's not Leland Walker, Hetty. It's Callen and Kensi."

Hetty's breathing stopped as he spoke and her voice caught in her throat. She'd given up on them long ago but here they were. "Mr. Callen, Mrs. Deeks, where on Earth have you two been? There are people here who so want you back, me included."

Callen grinned at her thought. "Yeah we want all of you too! It's so good to hear your voice. We've filed reports and CID is finishing up. We so want to come home now."

Hetty wanted them to come home too, but she needed to arrange a few little surprises first. "Well Mr. Callen, I need to arrange for all of this and there is a mountain of paperwork to do. Arranging your transport home might take a couple of days. So in the meantime I need you to do something for me."

Callen, actually shocked at her reply, knew that the wheels of progress sometimes moved very slowly than he or Kensi would like. "Okay…and what would that be?"

Hetty gave one of her enigmatic smiles. "You remember that tea that Sam and you brought back a few years ago?"

Callen remembered. He also remembered you could only get it in a little tea house outside of Kandahar. "Yeah I remember…why?"

Hetty could hear the apprehension and a multitude of questions in his voice and to be honest she rather enjoyed it. "Why? Because, I could use more. Can you get it for me please?"

Callen knew there could be only one answer but he decided to play with her for one moment more. "Sure I could get it but you do know there's a war going on here?"

Hetty gave out a chortle. "Really, a war you say, Mr. Callen, really? Of course I know it. You and Mrs. Deeks have lived there for about eighteen months now and I think a couple more days would be fine, don't you?

Callen knew he'd lost that battle. He'd get the tea and hopefully when he returned from Kandahar the transport would be waiting to take them home. "Okay, I'll get your tea…anything else?"

Yes Mr. Callen, the transport will be ready by then. Mr. Hanna and Mr. Deeks will be happy to see you. I'll talk to you in two days." Now all she needed to do was to get the plans in place for their return and welcome home.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A/N: Here it is the final chapter…or is it? Enjoy! Thank you to my faithful readers. You know who you are!

Callen's POV

The helicopter ride from Kandahar exhausted, yet exhilarated Callen. The Taliban shooters busied themselves with targeting any military planes and helicopters that flew out of Kandahar so the chopper skipped through the sky like a stone on water. There'd been a few close calls but he now stood, safely, on the tarmac in Kabul. He looked down at the five pound bag of tea and wondered if it had been worth almost losing his life over. He thought about it for a mere second before realization set in; die now getting it or die a slow painful death because he didn't. He came to the conclusion that the tumultuous chopper ride was the right decision. Nodding to himself he went in search of Kensi to see what their orders were. He hoped to get out of here and home to Sara and the kids. He'd missed so much of their little lives already. His heart tore with sorrow at how much time he'd missed with them and his wife, Sara. Vance probably gave up on them a long time ago. He shook his head to clear it from that thought.

Kensi saw him coming through the window of the office. Her emotions were on fire as they were leaving tomorrow to go home. The only problem they had was a brief stop in Hawaii for a couple of days. It seems there were no flights out of Hickman for them to hitch a ride on. They could live with it for a couple of days.

When the time came they climbed on board the C-5aM for the ride home. They were leaving with a whole lot less baggage than what they came with and it felt good.

After a brief stop on Guam for refueling they settled in for a fourteen hour flight into Hickman. Both agents slept for a while but Callen, never a long term sleeper, got up and started pacing. Being aware that he'd see Sara in a few days made him nervous, kind of like a new bridegroom. He paced, the flight crew offered him coffee, food and both were refused, so the crew left him to his own devices.

Kensi woke from her own dreams of the future to find him pacing. She understood his feeling without even asking for she felt the same way. What if Deeks had moved on? What if he felt the need to go back to LAPD and no one watched his back like they used to and he didn't make it? To be honest neither of them knew what they'd be going home to.

After the flight both agents moved to the exit of the hanger. They were met by a Petty Officer and escorted to the Command Office and into the office of the Captain in charge of the flightline.

Captain Jones reached across the desk to shake Callen and Kensi's hand. "Welcome home Agent Callen and Agent Blye. I want to thank you for your service. I've been given an order to give you a bit of solitude for the few days you're to be here. I have a haul into Lihue for you and a nice stay at a resort. So the plane is on the flight line waiting for you."

Kensi stood stunned at the offer and caught Callen's start at the delay out of the corner of her eye.

Callen, who'd sat down, moved to the edge of his seat. "Thank you for that but we'd like to go straight home. This 'holiday' is just time that we need to be with our families after a year and a half. Is there any way that we can get home instead?"

Kensi nodded her agreement.

The Captain smiled. "I understand how you feel. I'd want the same but I have my orders from above. Take the time you may need it to decompress from the last year and a half. When you go home it will be so much better. The flight waits for you. Go and enjoy the island." The Captain looked down at the papers on his desk acting like they'd been dismissed.

Callen and Kensi got up and left the office. He gave the captain one last glance as he opened the door.

The captain never looked up.

Callen chuckled. "I guess that Hetty is going to have to wait for her tea." He smirked and gave a little laugh. "I think she's got something to do with this but I don't know why. It seems odd even for her."

Kensi had to agree. "Yeah, it has her finger prints all over it but, again, why? She knows we want to get home. Why would she do this?"

Callen had stopped trying to figure his mentor's motives a long time ago. "I know but this is what she is doing so we do it just like we always do. Let's go find that plane and get on with our lives." He looked her up and down, smirked and gave a good belly laugh. "By the way you may have to get a new bikini."

Kensi stood there thinking that her boss and friend lacked class and to be honest, he didn't come across in the least as humerous. She ran to catch up to Callen and when she did she punched him in the arm. "You're not funny you know. I have no money and I'm pretty sure my credit cards don't work anymore."

Callen just laughed at her and kept walking to the flight line where the captain said the plane would be.

Same Day

Three hours later

Polihale Beach, Western Kauai

Sara's POV

We left the hotel around 5:30, picked up a picnic supper and drove around the southern end of the island. We drove through the sleepy little towns that make up the southern edge of Kauai. During the day those same towns were busy with throngs of tourists from the ships that stopped in the harbor outside our hotel and the everyday life of the resident Hawaiians.

At Ele'ele, we made the turn towards the western end of the island and Polihale Beach. This beach and sunset came with high marks for being awesome and as we drove we saw the sunset building up to a good one. The clouds out over the Pacific were taking on a rosy glow and the sun had begun its glide into the water.

We arrived to Polihale after a painstakingly slow ride through the old cane fields and Monkey Pod trees. After we parked the car we walked through the warm white sand to watch the crashing waves and the sun as it sank further toward the horizon with the look of fading into the water. The rays were red and gold and bathed everything they touched with their colors. It amazed me with its splendor.

We heard a car coming down the dirt road but didn't pay any attention to it. It was probably just another set of tourists here for the same thing we were the glorious sunset before us. We watched as the colors became redder and the clouds in the distance took on the image of darkness. The car parked behind us as we watched the solar splendor. The next thing I knew I had been pulled into an embrace with Marty kissing me. I pulled away, not understanding what had just happened. My hand, still on his chest gave us that moment of intimacy but my mind still reeled from his actions. "What's going on Marty?"

The look on his face and the tone of his reply broke my heart. He let go of me rather abruptly seemingly leaving miles between us. "Nothing…I just kissed my sister and betrayed a good friends trust." The look on his face is one I will never forget because it was full of self-loathing and self-hate for the action he'd just taken. He turned and walked away from me, down the beach.

"Marty, wait…" I wanted to chase him down the beach but was too shocked by what happened to get up and go after him. I just sat on the blanket and began to ponder about what had just happened. I knew what I felt but he had never given me an inkling of his feelings. How did I miss that? Eighteen months and all he had to show for it were more broken dreams. Maybe I'd led him on without thinking about it or by depending on him too much. If I knew him I would never know about what went on in his head just now. He doesn't talk about his feelings very often.

I sat there with tears forming and a voice spoke into the darkness of my soul bringing light to it, a voice I knew and loved intensely. "Do you come here often?"

It seemed like it had been a million years since I heard those words. Even through my pain of what I'd done to Marty I couldn't help my response to that voice. "Oh my god, seriously; is that still your best pick up line?" While I loved hearing those words from those lips, and I really did, I spoke those words even though my heart was breaking for Deeks.

Callen sat down behind me and pulled me back into his arms. Nothing ever before or since has felt so good. "What just happened with Deeks?"

I turned my head and looked into his blue eyes and wasn't really sure of how to explain it. I never really got that answer from Marty. "I think that he's confused by our closeness and the events of the last eighteen months. It has been a lot to process for him. He'll be okay." I just hope I was right.

Callen wanted to get up and leave right away but I'd come to see the sunset and really wanted to see it. To be honest, part of me wanted to make sure Marty was alright even if it was from a distance.

The sunset, as promised was spectacular with rays hitting the few stray clouds that were left and lining them with gold. The islands of Nihau and Nihoa, in the distance, were also outlined with the golden light. It was a vision straight from heaven. I have to admit my worries for Marty may have clouded the true impressions of it though.

As we walked back to Callen's jeep I caught Marty and Kensi out of the corner of my eye and hoped that I'd not lost the friendship of a man that I had come to like and respect, a lot. As we drove away I remembered that my shoes were still in Deek's rental as well as our dinner. I could get the shoes tomorrow. Kensi and Deeks could eat the meal. I hoped Callen didn't have any ideas about dinner at a restaurant.

Either way our spouses are back and for that I'm grateful. I hoped that Marty and Kensi would be as happy as I am.

A/N: Polihale Beach is a real place with those gorgeous sunsets. You should visit it someday. I posted another story 'Emotions' a while back it is really the epilogue to this story but in reality the story never really ends for them.

s/13054536/1/Emotions

Just in case you want to read it.

A/N: Thanks for being so patient.


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